The Secret History by Donna Tartt

The Secret History

Donna Tartt

559 pages first pub 1992 (editions)

fiction literary mystery thriller dark mysterious tense slow-paced

Description

Richard Papen arrived at Hampden College in New England and was quickly seduced by an elite group of five students, all Greek scholars, all worldly, self-assured, and, at first glance, all highly unapproachable. As Richard is drawn into their inne...

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Community Reviews Summary of 67,806 reviews

Moods

dark 95%
mysterious 81%
tense 65%
reflective 37%
emotional 32%
challenging 29%
sad 23%
adventurous 13%
funny 7%
informative 2%
inspiring 2%

Pace

slow 59%
medium 36%
fast 3%

Plot- or character-driven?

A mix: 51% | Character: 38% | Plot: 8%

Strong character development?

It's complicated: 43% | Yes: 32% | No: 22%

Loveable characters?

It's complicated: 49% | No: 36% | Yes: 13%

Diverse cast of characters?

No: 79% | Yes: 10% | It's complicated: 7% | N/A: 2%

Flaws of characters a main focus?

Yes: 86% | It's complicated: 9% | No: 3%

Average rating

4.23

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Content Warnings

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